---
title: Default Theme
description: The default chakra theme tokens
category: 'theming'
---

The theme object is where you define your application's color palette, type
scale, font stacks, breakpoints, border radius values, and more.

Theming with Chakra UI is based on the
[Styled System Theme Specification](https://styled-system.com/theme-specification/)

<br></br>
<ComponentLinks
  github={{ package: 'theme' }}
  npm={{ package: '@chakra-ui/theme' }}
/>

## Colors

Add a `theme.colors` object to provide colors for your project. By default these
colors can be referenced by the `color`, `borderColor`, `backgroundColor`,
`fill`, `stroke`, styles.

We recommend adding a palette that ranges from `50` to `900`. Tools like
[Themera](https://themera.vercel.app/),
[Smart Swatch](https://smart-swatch.netlify.app/),
[Coolors](https://coolors.co/app) or [Palx](https://palx.jxnblk.com) are
available to generate these palettes.

```js
// theme.js
export default {
  colors: {
    transparent: 'transparent',
    black: '#000',
    white: '#fff',
    gray: {
      50: '#f7fafc',
      // ...
      900: '#171923',
    },
    // ...
  },
}
```

Chakra provides a sensible
[default theme](https://github.com/chakra-ui/chakra-ui/tree/main/packages/components/theme)
inspired by Tailwind CSS, but you can customize it to fit your design.

### Black & White

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalette color='black' name='Black' />
  <ColorPalette color='white' name='White' />
  <div />
</ColorWrapper>

### Alphas

> Note: Toggle the site's color mode to see the change in the whiteAlpha colors.

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='blackAlpha' />
  <ColorPalettes color='whiteAlpha' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Gray

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='gray' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Red

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='red' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Orange

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='orange' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Yellow

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='yellow' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Green

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='green' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Teal

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='teal' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Blue

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='blue' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Cyan

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='cyan' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Purple

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='purple' />
</ColorWrapper>

### Pink

<ColorWrapper>
  <ColorPalettes color='pink' />
</ColorWrapper>

## Typography

To manage Typography options, the theme object supports the following keys:

- `fonts` (font families)
- `fontSizes`
- `fontWeights`
- `lineHeights`
- `letterSpacings`

```js
import { extendTheme } from '@chakra-ui/react'

// example theme
const theme = extendTheme({
  colors: {...},
  fonts: {
    body: "system-ui, sans-serif",
    heading: "Georgia, serif",
    mono: "Menlo, monospace",
  },
  fontSizes: {
    xs: "0.75rem",
    sm: "0.875rem",
    md: "1rem",
    lg: "1.125rem",
    xl: "1.25rem",
    "2xl": "1.5rem",
    "3xl": "1.875rem",
    "4xl": "2.25rem",
    "5xl": "3rem",
    "6xl": "3.75rem",
    "7xl": "4.5rem",
    "8xl": "6rem",
    "9xl": "8rem",
  },
  fontWeights: {
    hairline: 100,
    thin: 200,
    light: 300,
    normal: 400,
    medium: 500,
    semibold: 600,
    bold: 700,
    extrabold: 800,
    black: 900,
  },
  lineHeights: {
    normal: "normal",
    none: 1,
    shorter: 1.25,
    short: 1.375,
    base: 1.5,
    tall: 1.625,
    taller: "2",
    "3": ".75rem",
    "4": "1rem",
    "5": "1.25rem",
    "6": "1.5rem",
    "7": "1.75rem",
    "8": "2rem",
    "9": "2.25rem",
    "10": "2.5rem",
  },
  letterSpacings: {
    tighter: "-0.05em",
    tight: "-0.025em",
    normal: "0",
    wide: "0.025em",
    wider: "0.05em",
    widest: "0.1em",
  },
});
```

## Breakpoints

Chakra UI comes with a predefined set of commonly used breakpoints.

> Learn more about
> [Responsive Styles and Customizing Breakpoints](/docs/styled-system/responsive-styles).

```js
import { extendTheme } from '@chakra-ui/react'

const breakpoints = {
  sm: '30em',
  md: '48em',
  lg: '62em',
  xl: '80em',
  '2xl': '96em',
}

const theme = extendTheme({ breakpoints, ... })
```

## Spacing

The `space` key allows you to customize the global spacing and sizing scale for
your project. By default these spacing value can be referenced by the `padding`,
`margin`, and `top`, `left`, `right`, `bottom` styles.

```js
import { extendTheme } from '@chakra-ui/react'

const spacing = {
  space: {
    px: '1px',
    0.5: '0.125rem',
    1: '0.25rem',
    1.5: '0.375rem',
    2: '0.5rem',
    2.5: '0.625rem',
    3: '0.75rem',
    3.5: '0.875rem',
    4: '1rem',
    5: '1.25rem',
    6: '1.5rem',
    7: '1.75rem',
    8: '2rem',
    9: '2.25rem',
    10: '2.5rem',
    12: '3rem',
    14: '3.5rem',
    16: '4rem',
    20: '5rem',
    24: '6rem',
    28: '7rem',
    32: '8rem',
    36: '9rem',
    40: '10rem',
    44: '11rem',
    48: '12rem',
    52: '13rem',
    56: '14rem',
    60: '15rem',
    64: '16rem',
    72: '18rem',
    80: '20rem',
    96: '24rem',
  },
}

const theme = extendTheme({ ...spacing })
```

By default, Chakra includes a comprehensive numeric spacing scale inspired by
Tailwind CSS. The values are proportional, so 1 spacing unit is equal to
`0.25rem`, which translates to `4px` by default in common browsers.

> **Mental model:** If you need a spacing of `40px`, divide it by `4`. That'll
> give you `10`. Then use it in your component.

| Name | Space    | Pixels |                                    |
| ---- | -------- | ------ | ---------------------------------- |
| px   | 1px      | 1px    | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="px"/>  |
| 0.5  | 0.125rem | 2px    | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="0.5"/> |
| 1    | 0.25rem  | 4px    | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="1"/>   |
| 1.5  | 0.375rem | 6px    | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="1.5"/> |
| 2    | 0.5rem   | 8px    | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="2"/>   |
| 2.5  | 0.625rem | 10px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="2.5"/> |
| 3    | 0.75rem  | 12px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="3"/>   |
| 3.5  | 0.875rem | 14px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="3.5"/> |
| 4    | 1rem     | 16px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="4"/>   |
| 5    | 1.25rem  | 20px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="5"/>   |
| 6    | 1.5rem   | 24px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="6"/>   |
| 7    | 1.75rem  | 28px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="7"/>   |
| 8    | 2rem     | 32px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="8"/>   |
| 9    | 2.25rem  | 36px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="9"/>   |
| 10   | 2.5rem   | 40px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="10"/>  |
| 12   | 3rem     | 48px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="12"/>  |
| 14   | 3.5rem   | 56px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="14"/>  |
| 16   | 4rem     | 64px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="16"/>  |
| 20   | 5rem     | 80px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="20"/>  |
| 24   | 6rem     | 96px   | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="24"/>  |
| 28   | 7rem     | 112px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="28"/>  |
| 32   | 8rem     | 128px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="32"/>  |
| 36   | 9rem     | 144px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="36"/>  |
| 40   | 10rem    | 160px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="40"/>  |
| 44   | 11rem    | 176px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="44"/>  |
| 48   | 12rem    | 192px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="48"/>  |
| 56   | 14rem    | 224px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="56"/>  |
| 60   | 15rem    | 240px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="60"/>  |
| 64   | 16rem    | 256px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="64"/>  |
| 72   | 18rem    | 288px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="72"/>  |
| 80   | 20rem    | 320px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="80"/>  |
| 96   | 24rem    | 384px  | <Box bg="pink.200" h="4" w="96"/>  |

## Sizes

The `sizes` key allows you to customize the global sizing of components you
build for your project. By default these sizes value can be referenced by the
`width`, `height`, and `maxWidth`, `minWidth`, `maxHeight`, `minHeight` styles.

```js
import { extendTheme } from '@chakra-ui/react'

const sizes = {
  sizes: {
    ...theme.space,
    max: 'max-content',
    min: 'min-content',
    full: '100%',
    '3xs': '14rem',
    '2xs': '16rem',
    xs: '20rem',
    sm: '24rem',
    md: '28rem',
    lg: '32rem',
    xl: '36rem',
    '2xl': '42rem',
    '3xl': '48rem',
    '4xl': '56rem',
    '5xl': '64rem',
    '6xl': '72rem',
    '7xl': '80rem',
    '8xl': '90rem',
    container: {
      sm: '640px',
      md: '768px',
      lg: '1024px',
      xl: '1280px',
    },
  },
}

const theme = extendTheme({ sizes, ...})
```

A component like this: `<Box w={4} h={3} />` will generate an empty `div` with
width set to `1rem` or `16px` and height set to `0.75rem` or `12px`.

## Border radius

Chakra provides a set of smooth corner radius values defined by the `radii` key.

```js
import { extendTheme } from '@chakra-ui/react'

const borderRadius = {
  radii: {
    none: '0',
    sm: '0.125rem',
    base: '0.25rem',
    md: '0.375rem',
    lg: '0.5rem',
    xl: '0.75rem',
    '2xl': '1rem',
    '3xl': '1.5rem',
    full: '9999px',
  },
}

const theme = extendTheme({ ...borderRadius, ...})
```

## z-index values

Chakra provides a minimal set of z-Indices out of the box to help control the
stacking order of components.

```js
import { extendTheme } from '@chakra-ui/react'

const zIndices = {
  zIndices: {
    hide: -1,
    auto: 'auto',
    base: 0,
    docked: 10,
    dropdown: 1000,
    sticky: 1100,
    banner: 1200,
    overlay: 1300,
    modal: 1400,
    popover: 1500,
    skipLink: 1600,
    toast: 1700,
    tooltip: 1800,
  },
}
const theme = extendTheme({ zIndices, ...})
```

## Config

The theme's config is to provide global settings that are used by different
parts of the Chakra UI system.

| Property                  | Description                                                                                                 | Default  |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- |
| `cssVarPrefix` **(v1.4)** | The prefix to use for the generated CSS custom properties                                                   | `chakra` |
| `initialColorMode`        | The initial color mode your application should start with. <br reset/> Can be either `light` or `dark` mode | `light`  |
| `useSystemColorMode`      | If `true`, the chakra system will update color mode <br reset/> based on your system preferences            | `false`  |

You can leverage the `extendTheme` function to override a specific theme config
property.

```jsx live=false
import { extendTheme } from '@chakra-ui/react'

const theme = extendTheme({
  config: {
    cssVarPrefix: 'ck',
  },
})
```
